Insulator for pile-up switches



Aug. 28, 1951 Q L QMHQLT 2,565,508

INSULATOR FOR PILE-UF SWITCHES Filed Sept. 24, 1945 7 .7 /0 INVENToR.

hasta A. ze. iosi 2,1555 ,508

UNITED STATES PATENT oFF-licei" saam-ra "am mm. mknlmssdlln.. 13,32

l s claims (ci. zoe-1u) z- 'Ilhe present invention relates generally to a with the section taken vertically'and longitudlnovel method of making multiple contact switch nally through the securing screw apertures;

structures of the flat spring-nest type such as the Fig. 3 isv an enlarged planview of oneof the jack and other spring-nest assembly switches 'insulator elements, and commonly employed with communication Sys- 5 Fig. 4 is a longitudinal, vertical sectional view tems. It consists moreover in a special form of centrally through the apertures of the insulator insulator adapted for standardization and to perof Fig. 3. mit of pile-up assembling to provide the spacing As a typical embodiment and adaptation of and insulating requirements to meet varied switch the invention it is here shown incorporated in a conditions and with the elimination of the cusl multi-contact switch structure of the springtomarily employed bushings surrounding the senest or Jack type as commonly employed in telecuring screws. phone communication systems and adapted to A presently employed and conventional manner have its circuits closed or altered by a` plug conof manufacturing multi-contact spring-nest and nector. The spring-nest assembly as indicated. jack assemblies is to employ nat spring contact if consists of the flat spring elements I, 2 and I elements and flat insulating elements interposed separated by and insulated H0111 each other by therebetween each of which is provided with insulator plates or elements I and secured or spaced openings for the reception of insulating clamped together by means of longitudinally bushings through which are extended the securspaced securing screws passing through holes ing or clamping screws ordinarily threaded to a or apertures in an upper clamping plate 6, through supporting frame member. This structural arapertures 'l in the insulating elementsand relarangement is objectionable and costly in that to tively enlarged apertures 8 in the contact elemeet the varied and numerous spacing requirements I, 2 and 3 having threaded engagement ments of diifering assemblies requires the stockat their lower ends with a supporting o r frame ing and employment of bushings of different member 9. In this assembly insulator elements 4 lengths with possibility of misusing bushings of are interposed between the clamping plate 6 and excessive or deilcient length and the resulting the uppermost contact I and'insulators I are danger of causing short circuiting or crushed likewise interposed between the lower contact 3 bushings. and a base insulator I0 having enlarged open- In accordance with the present invention an 1118s II bearing against the frame 9- The 60nimproved spring-nest switch structureisproduced tacts 3 and 2 are shown of conventional form by the employment of a novel form of insulator having bent ends or tip formations l2 and I3 to of standardized construction, formed to provide be engaged by the 1181181 Dlllg tip and ring 0I' the required insulation between contacts and insleeve portions. The contact 2 and likewise consulation and spacing of the spring-nest from the tact l are 21150 provided With 11011112115! spaced securing screws fulfming the function 0f and contact points I4 and I5 as ordinarily employed eliminating the requirement of the bushings. The fOr Closing of a circuit by P1118 actuatin.- improved form of insulator is further of a forma- 111 accordance With the Present inventiOn the tion to provide for face contact and a nesting reinsulator elements 4 are preferably standardized lation permitting of the employment of multiples o as to thickness and formation to permit oi their of insulators of standard thickness in pile-up employment in varied spacing between the conarrangement so as to provide for the varied spactact elements to meet specific requirements. They ing between the contact or spacing elements. are further of special form at the region of their The foregoing and other important features openings or apertures. As shown the aperture and advantages of the present improvements will walls are formed in angularly disposed and offbe more fully understood by reference to the acset marginal portions I6. These inclined apercompanying drawing wherein like reference charture marginal portions have an outer diameter acte-rs are applied to the corresponding parts in corresponding to the diameter of the openings in the several views. the contact elements and have an inner diameter In the drawings: such as to provide a close fit relative to the se- Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation showing a curing screws and the degree of off-setting detypical multiple contact element switch assembly sirably corresponds to the thickness of the iny embodying the features of the invention; sulator as indicated.

Fig. 2 is a partial and enlarged sectional view The apertures I are likewise located to be nonthrough the insulating and supporting portions centered both longitudinally and laterally of the Y insulators thereby to permit staggering of the end ments and to facilitate the .proper stacking of the elements they are provided with "visible indication, such as a hole or other deformation, as indicated at l1 designating the sides of greater extension as here shown.

The angular oifsetting of the aperture marginal wall portions as indicated lpermits of their being stack assembled with the spring or contact elements so as to provide for their insulated and spacing relation. It further provides the insulation between, and likewise the positioning of', the spring elements and the securing screws. As will be noted, in the .pile-up assembling of the insulators there will be a nesting relation of the marginal offset I6. In the forming of the insulators, which may desirably be of a phenol fiber composition or other suitable insulating material. the marginal oifsets or bushing portions I5 are desirably formed with their edge portions feathered to provide vertical aperture walls.` This produces an edge formation permitting close tolerance reception of the screws and centering of the parts under the clamping pressure. The resulting simplified construction, incident t0 the employment of the standardized insulators as described, offers substantial manufacturing economies incident to the reduction in number of differing parts, eliminates the requirement of separaie bushings as referred to and further, materially simplifies-the assembling operation in that the nesting arrangement, to a substantial degree, eifects self-centering of the parts in the stacking and clamping operations. It further self-centers the screws in relation to the spring holes upon tightening thereby insuring proper alignment of the spring elements relative to the terminal plug and with similar simplification of the insulator staggering alignment as referred to. l

While there is shown sind. described a preferred embodiment of the features of the invention, it will be understood that varied modica- 4 tions may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is: 1. A pile-up switch structure comprising in combination with frame and spring members, oi a plurality of insulator elements posltionedto insulata and space the spring and frame members, said insulator elements being of plate `form having apertures for receiving clamping screws and n formed with angularly offset aperture marginal portions adapted for nesting registration, said spring members-having relatively enlarged openings adapted to receive therein the insulator oilset portions to space and insulate the springs from the screws, said apertures being staggered in position relative to the sides and ends of said plate to eilect staggered edge projection on reverse position assembly and securing screws fitted to the insulator apertures and attached to the frame for clamping of the parts.

2. A pile-up switch structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein the insulators have deformation marking to identify its position.

3. An insulator for a spring-pile switch assembly composed of a plate of insulating material of substantially uniform thickness having a plurality of apertures therein, said apertures being formed with angularly projected marginal portions adapted to permit face engagement of piled insulators with nesting of said projected marginal portions, said apertures being formed in a staggered arrangement relative to both the sides and end portions of said plate.

CARL LOMHOLT.

REFERENCES crrnn I The following references are of record in the t ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

